Reading: 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14. The first reading on this Sunday is from the second book of Maccabees. It should be noted that the first and second books of Maccabees do not appear in the Jewish canon. Thus, they are not recognized as canonical by Protestants or Jews. Catholic tradition, however, has always upheld their inspired character. Maccabees came from a period of extreme persecution of the Jews by the Seleusid kings with the attempted Hellenization (adapting Greek ideas and customs) of Palestine. The Seleucids engaged in unremitting war on Jewish belief and practice.

The reading narrates the story of martyrdom of the mother and her seven sons. The number seven, in Jewish tradition, symbolizes perfection. Accordingly, we may look upon this as a “perfect” family. Furthermore, the author of the book reported seven sons and their mother in this incident. We may wonder whether there were any daughters in that family. But by presenting all males in that family, the author wanted us to realize that this family was truly blessed in the perspective of male chauvinism at that time. In addition, the reading underlines the premise that observance of the law is more important than life itself. It carries the earliest concept of resurrection after death in the Old Testament. It also conveys the Judgment of God with the rewards and punishments of God to those who keep or not the Law of God. Thus, the reading offers example of heroism to the people and serves as a source of inspiration.

A mother and her seven children were offered honors and wealth if they ate flesh of a pig. Otherwise, they would be condemned to death one by one. Pork was a forbidden food to the Jews according to their religious dietary law. The Seleucids chose this area to undermine and destroy religious observance of the Jews. The mother and her seven sons refused to eat pork and they resisted to the end. They faced horrible death one by one. However, each in turn professed his faith in strong theological statements in favor of martyrdom before death.

The first son said to the pagan king, “We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors.” He argued that it was better to die than to transgress the law. By this point in history, the Jews could be clearly identified as “the people of the book.” The law was sacred with complete observance of its ordinances. It was a serious matter of conscience.

The king fell into a rage. He commanded that this son’s tongue be cut out and that the torturers scalped him and cut off his hands and feet, while the rest of the brothers and the mother looked on. When the son was utterly helpless, the king ordered the executioners to take him to the fire, still breathing, and to fry him in a pan. This kind of torture and death was suffered by each one of the seven children. The mother was standing there, watching the torture and death of each of her seven sons.

The second son said, “You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever. It is for his laws that we are dying.” Here, this son clearly attested to future life sanctions in the resurrection of the dead. The king may take their lives, but God will raise them up again.

The third son said, “It was from Heaven that I received these; for the sake of his laws I disdain them; from him I hope to receive them again.” The king may dismember their bodies, but this son hoped that in heaven God will restore their limbs. Here, he emphasized the same belief in a statement that suffers from literalism.

The fourth son said, “It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the God-given hope of being restored to life by him; but for you, there will be no resurrection to life.” According to his words, they will be restored to life, but the king will not be restored. Thus, this son affirmed the theological statement of resurrection for the just, but not for the evildoers. However, we notice that the concept of immortality here was based on righteousness, but not on the imperishable nature of the soul. The willingness of all the sons to endure torture and death hinged on their belief in subsequent resurrection.

The fifth son said to the king, “Since you have power among men, mortal though you are, do what you please. But do not think that our nation is forsaken by God. Only wait, and you will see how his great power will torment you and your descendants.” According to him, God will not forsake his people, but will torment the king and his nation.

The sixth son said, “Have no vain illusions. We suffer these things on our own account, because we have sinned against our God; that is why such astonishing things have happened to us. Do not think, then, that you will go unpunished for having dared to fight against God.” This son believed that they were suffering because they had sinned as a people.

The mother exhorted her sons to remain faithful by recalling for them God’s power to create and to restore life. She said, “I do not know how you came into existence in my womb; it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed. Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man’s beginning, as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law.”

When the king interceded on behalf of the youngest boy, the mother returned to the theme of God’s cre­ation and re-creation, arguing that if God can make the whole universe and humanity out of nothing, God can also restore life.

The last son then summed up all the preceding arguments, adding a new one at the same time. He solemnly declared his belief to the king, “What are you waiting for? I will not obey the king’s command. I obey the command of the law given to our forefathers through Moses. But you, who have contrived every kind of affliction for the Hebrews, will not escape the hands of God. We, indeed, are suffering because of our sins. Though our living Lord treats us harshly for a little while to correct us with chastisements, he will again be reconciled with his servants. But you, wretch, vilest of all men! Do not, in your insolence, concern yourself with unfounded hopes, as you raise your hand against the children of Heaven. You have not yet escaped the judgment of the almighty and all-seeing God. My brothers, after enduring brief pain, have drunk of never-failing life, under God’s covenant, but you, by the judgment of God, shall receive just punishments for your arrogance. Like my brothers, I offer up my body and my life for our ancestral laws, imploring God to show mercy soon to our nation, and by afflictions and blows to make you confess that he alone is God. Through me and my brothers, may there be an end to the wrath of the Almighty that has justly fallen on our whole nation.” The king became extremely enraged. He treated this son worse than the others. This last son died with his integrity, putting his whole trust in the Lord.

The mother was standing there, watching each of her seven sons dying in horrible tortures. The scripture says that the mother was last to die, after her sons. But it does not tell how she died. She might have gone through as much torture as her sons did. However, this martyrdom story is also recorded in several resources: in the Talmud, the Midrash Rabba, and the Yossipon. The Midrash Rabba version states that the mother’s name is Miriam. The Yossipon, however, names her Channah. According to this book, Channah was left surrounded by the mutilated bodies of her sons. Though she was distraught, she exalted God in all things. Then she threw herself from a roof and rested beside her martyred sons. Whatever way she died, we admire this mother to the fullest. She reared her children in totally obedient observance of Jewish religious law. She encouraged each of them to be faithful to their belief until death. She had planted good seeds in the souls of her sons. And now, she saw the righteous fruit of martyrdom in all of them.

It is hard for us to see suffering and martyrdom as an integral part of the ultimate purpose of God with humankind. However, God wants us to bear the character traits to the closest likeness of his Son, Christ. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, showed his love by laying down his life for us. From generation to generation, many Christians have been called to give witness to God’s love and the Church teaching. Martyrdom truly makes the disciple like his master, who willingly accepted death for the salvation of the world. Through the act of martyrdom, the martyr is conformed to Jesus by the shedding of blood. The Church considers martyrdom the highest gift and supreme test of love and supreme witness given to the truth of the faith. It means bearing witness even unto death. While it is given to few, we must be prepared to confess Christ before people and to follow him along the way of the cross. We “do not be ashamed of [our] testimony to our Lord” (2 Tim 1:8).

Rev. Linh N. Nguyen